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Amherst College Oral History Project Records

 Collection
Identifier: MA.00037

Scope and Contents

Typed transcripts and audio recordings of oral history interviews with Amherst College professors emeriti, alumni, staff members, and other notable members of the Amherst community. Most of the interviews were conducted between 1977 and 1982, with some material from earlier years also included. Transcripts were produced shortly after the interviews and were edited, sometimes heavily, by the interviewee and therefore are not necessarily faithful transcriptions of the recordings. Some interviews lack the original audio recordings.

Dates

  • Creation: 1952-1982
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1977-1982

Conditions Governing Access

Access to original recordings is restricted for preservation purposes, researchers may use digital surrogates instead.

Conditions Governing Use

Requests for permission to publish material from the collection should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

Biographical / Historical

The Amherst College Oral History Project was an initiative of the Public Relations Department of the College beginning in the late 1970s. Horace W. Hewlett, director of public relations of the College from 1947 to 1958 and secretary of the College and director of publications from 1958 to 1977, conducted 27 interviews with Amherst College professors emeriti, staff members, and other notable members of the Amherst community. Additional earlier interviews, recorded reminiscences and a panel discussion were collected by Hewlett for inclusion in the project.

Extent

1.5 Linear feet (1 archives box, 1 half archives box, 1 flat box, 1 negative box)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Typed transcripts and audio recordings of oral history interviews with Amherst College professors emeriti, alumni, staff members, and other notable members of the Amherst community. Most of the interviews were conducted between 1977 and 1982, with some material from earlier years also included.

Status
Completed
Author
Finding aid prepared by Claudia Gunter. Revised in 2020 by Mariah Leavitt.
Date
2003; 2020
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Sponsor
Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Repository Details

Part of the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Amherst College Archives & Special Collections
Robert Frost Library
61 Quadrangle Drive
Amherst MA 01002-5000
(413) 542-2299